We have our work cut out for us in the coming years. The threats to critical affordable and supportive housing programs that serve the poorest households and those with disabilities are real and significant. Become involved in planning the 2018 Congressional Reception!

NJCounts 2018

All twenty-one New Jersey Counties will be counting individuals and families who were homeless – both sheltered and un-sheltered - on the night of Tuesday, January 24, 2018.This annual census is conducted by networks of organizations, agencies and others that plan community efforts to end homelessness and is coordinated by Monarch Housing on the statewide level.

The goal of the second Annual Homeless Sabbath is to engage as many congregations of all faiths to include readings in their service(s) held on December 15th, 16th and 17th, 2017, at their respective house of worship. Click here to register online to participate.

Housing Important for Staying Out of Prison

We found out about this important new study from the National Alliance to End Homelessness. It underscores the importance of permanent, affordable and supportive housing. Click here to read the full report.

Finding a place to live is a major obstacle for returning prisoners. The Urban Institute’sReturning Home study found that among a sample of returning prisoners in Cleveland, Ohio 84 percent anticipated that “having a place to stay would be an important fact in staying out of prison.” One year after about 25 percent of returning prisoners in the study returned to their own home (about one-third lived in their own home before prison), 28 percent were living with a parent, and 18 percent were living with a sibling. Nearly half (46 percent) were living in their previous neighborhood, although many reported not wanting to return “in order to avoid trouble.”

Almost one-third of returning prisoners in the study reported residential instability: 21 percent moved three times, 5 percent moved four times, and 3 percent moved five times or more. A year after release nearly half considered their housing situation to be temporary. In addition to residential instability, about a quarter of returning prisoners in the study are living in tenuous housing situations that could put them at risk for technical violations or recidivism. 17 percent lived with someone who had been in prison and 23 percent with someone who “often drank to the point of intoxication or used illegal drugs.” Returning prisoners with secure long term housing were less likely to be reincarcerated.

The study findings are based on prerelease interviews with 424 males and three post release interviews with 358, 322, and 294 respondents from the original sample. Researchers corrected for attrition bias using observed characteristics captured in the baseline survey.